Abstract: A tire and method of building a tire is described wherein the tire has a carcass having a pair of sidewall plies and a bridge ply, each ply being reinforced with cords, the sidewall plies each having a first end which is received between the bridge ply and a belt reinforcing structure; wherein each sidewall ply extends axially outward along the sidewall and extending radially inwardly to the bead core and folded from a position axially outside the bead core to a position axially inside and around the bead core to an axially inner turnup end; said bridge ply having ends which overlap with a respective inner turnup end of said sidewall ply.

Abstract: A tire carcass to be used with any type of tire is shown herein. A tire carcass includes a first ply portion, a second ply portion, each ply portion having an inner sidewall ply, an outer sidewall ply, a first end, a second end, and a bead core, a bridge portion, wherein the first ends of the ply portions are separated by the bridge portion, and at least two bridge plies, wherein the bridge plies span the bridge portion, wherein each of the bridge plies have a first end and a second end.

Abstract: The tire includes a first and second axially-spaced bead core, a carcass having at least one belt extending under a tread, and a first ply layer having first and second ends, a first end is located axially outside and adjacent a first bead core, and a second end that is located axially outside and adjacent a second bead core. The carcass further comprises first and second shoulder ply layers each shoulder ply layer having first and second ends, a first end is located under the tread belt, the shoulder ply extending down the side wall region with the second end folding from a position axially outside a respective bead core to a position axially inside and around the bead core. The carcass further comprises an additional reinforcement layer which wraps around the bead and is preferably positioned between the shoulder ply and the first ply layer, although not required.

Abstract: A tire carcass is disclosed herein which includes a first radial ply with a shoulder portion and a lateral edge portion, the lateral edge portion being wrapped around a bead core, a carcass crown portion, the carcass crown portion having a first edge and a second edge, and a second radial ply with a second shoulder portion and a second lateral edge, the second lateral edge portion being wrapped around a second bead core, the first radial ply extending beyond the first edge of the carcass crown portion and the second radial ply extending beyond the second edge of the carcass crown portion.

Abstract: A tire carcass is disclosed herein which includes a first radial ply, first and second sidewalls, a carcass crown portion, the carcass crown portion having a first edge and a second edge, and a non-continuous second radial ply, the second radial ply having a right side extending from approximately the first edge of the carcass crown portion, and extending approximately to at least the first bead core and a left side extending from approximately the second edge of the carcass crown portion, and extending approximately to at least the second bead core, wherein at least one of the sidewalls and the carcass crown portion are made of dissimilar material.

Abstract: A tire carcass is disclosed herein which includes a first radial ply with shoulder portions and lateral edge portions, each of the lateral edge portions being wrapped around a bead core, a center line perpendicular to the bead core, a carcass crown portion, the carcass crown portion having a first edge and a second edge, and a non-continuous second radial ply, the second radial ply having a right side extending from approximately the first edge of the carcass crown portion, and extending approximately around the first bead core and a left side extending from approximately the second edge of the carcass crown portion, and extending approximately around the second bead core, wherein at least one side of the second radial ply is at an angle of less than approximately 75° with respect to the center line.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tire having a split ply carcass member with the ends of the split carcass ply spaced apart in the central crown portion of the tire and a central rubber layer spanning the gap between the split carcass ply ends, wherein said central rubber layer is reinforced with at least one of micro and macro reinforcing fillers. Said central rubber layer may additionally contain continuous cord reinforcement.

Abstract: A tire carcass to be used with any type of tire is shown herein. A tire carcass includes a first ply portion, a second ply portion, each ply portion having an inner sidewall ply, an outer sidewall ply, a first end, a second end, and a bead core, a bridge portion, wherein the first ends of the ply portions are separated by the bridge portion, and at least two bridge plies, wherein the bridge plies span the bridge portion, wherein each of the bridge plies have a first end and a second end.

Abstract: A tire and method of building a tire is described wherein the tire has a carcass having a pair of sidewall plies and a bridge ply, each ply being reinforced with cords, the sidewall plies each having a first end which is received between the bridge ply and a belt reinforcing structure; wherein each sidewall ply extends axially outward along the sidewall and extending radially inwardly to the bead core and folded from a position axially outside the bead core to a position axially inside and around the bead core to an axially inner turnup end; said bridge ply having ends which overlap with a respective inner turnup end of said sidewall ply.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tire having a split ply carcass member with the ends of the split carcass ply spaced apart in the central crown portion of the tire and a central rubber layer spanning the gap between the split carcass ply ends, wherein said central rubber layer is reinforced with at least one of micro and macro reinforcing fillers. Said central rubber layer may additionally contain continuous cord reinforcement.

Abstract: A tire comprising a tread portion and a pair of sidewalls wherein the sidewalls are connected to the tread portion by shoulder regions, and wherein the tire further includes one or more strips of rubber affixed to the inner surface of a green tire. The strip may be annular and may be located near the toe of the bead. The strip is made from a rubber composition having a specific gravity greater than 2. The strip may be ground away as desired in order to balance the tire without the need for weights.

Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire combination for four-wheeled automobile or light truck vehicles. The tire combination has a pair of front steer position tires and a pair of rear position tires. The front steer position tire has a footprint when the tire is normally inflated for normal load that has a footprint shape factor of greater than 1.00 at a 50% load, and about 1.00 at both 85% load and 100% load, the footprint shape factor being defined as the maximum circumferential extent of the tire's footprint at the centerplane of the tire's footprint width divided by the average of the circumferential extent of the tire's footprint width as measured at 40% of the footprint from both sides of the central plane of the footprint. The rear position tire footprint, when the tire is normally inflated for normal load, has a footprint shape factor of about 1.00 at 50% load, and 1.00 or less than 1.00 at 85% load and 100% load when measured similar to the method described for the front position tires.

Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire combination for four-wheeled automobile or light truck vehicles. The tire combination has a pair of front steer position tires and a pair of rear position tires. The front steer position tire 10 has a first tread arc 46 when the tire is normally inflated for normal load but unloaded, of decreasing radii extending toward the lateral edges 42, 44 and a straight line 50 drawn between the intersection of the tread arc curvature and the centerplane is inclined at an angle &thgr;F of greater than 5° relative to a tangent line L, L being tangent to the tread arc at the centerplane and parallel to the axis of rotation R. The rear tire 20 when similarly measured has a tread arc having an angle &thgr;R of less than 5°.

Abstract: A radial ply pneumatic tire has a carcass with a bead portion, a carcass reinforcing structure, and a bead filler. The carcass reinforcing structure has at least two structures with cords which extend to each bead. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the tire carcass includes elastomeric first and second fillers, the first filler being located between the first ply structure and the innerliner of the tire, and the second filler being located between the first and second ply structures. The fillers stiffen the sidewalls to permit the tire to be driven while uninflated. The tire further includes an aramid overlay radially outwardly of the reinforcing belt.

Abstract: A radial ply pneumatic tire has a carcass with a bead portion, a carcass reinforcing structure, and a bead filler. The carcass reinforcing structure has at least two plies. The turnup ends of a first or a second ply are wrapped about each bead and terminates in radial proximity of the maximum section width of the tire. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the tire carcass includes elastomeric first and second filers the first filler being located between the first ply and the innerliner of the tire, and the second filer being located between the first and second ply. The fillers stiffen the sidewalls to permit the tire to be driven while uninflated. The tire may further include an aramid overlay radially outwardly of the reinforcing belt.

Abstract: A radial ply pneumatic tire features a bead core which comprises an arrangement of filaments positioned relative to one another. The bead core has a cross-section and radially inward base side, a radially outermost point or side or sides, an axially inward first side, and an axially outward second side. The base side of the bead core is substantially linear and has a width being between 50% to 75% of the rim seat width. An associated rim has a pair of humps and a rim flange associated with each hump. Each rim flange has an axially inward surface, the distance between each hump and the axially inward surface of the associated rim flange being a rim seat.

Abstract: A radial pneumatic light truck or automobile tire 40 having a tread 42 is described. The tread 42 has a base 43, a plurality of traction elements 52 extending radially outwardly from the base 43 and at least one circumferentially continuous wide groove 54,55. The wide groove 54,55 has a circumferentially continuous window 72 extending from the tread base 43 to the radially outer contacting surface 53. The window 72, when viewed in the ground contacting portion of the tread 42, has a shape that is triangular or trapezoidal having two sides 73,74 and a radially outer long base 75. The long base 75 has an axial width of 7% to 20% of the tread width. The wide groove 54,55 has a zig-zag portion 70 extending radially from the tread base 43 in a circumferentially continuous path. The sides 73,74 of the window 72 define the maximum axial extent or amplitude of the zig-zag portion 70 into the wide groove 54,55.